AHHAA science centre shop sold pens with globes showing Baltic states and Ukraine as part of Russia
Pens with miniature globes depicting the Baltic countries and Ukraine as Russian territory have been removed from the Tartu AHHAA science centre shop after visitors flagged the errors.
Visitors to the AHHAA science centre in Tartu have spotted an unusual problem in the gift shop: pens with small globes at one end displayed a distorted map of Europe. The globes marked the Baltic countries and Ukraine as part of Russia, colouring them red. In addition, the city of St Petersburg was labelled Leningrad, Germany and Russia were shown as neighbours, and Norway appeared as an island, according to a report by Tartu Postimees.
The centre's press secretary, Karl-Kristjan Neufeld, explained that the pens were sourced through an intermediary based in Germany. He said there was no reason to assume the products would contain such obvious errors in geography and political facts. The mistakes were first noticed by visitors, who informed the staff. The pens have since been removed from sale.
AHHAA has not yet said whether it will check other merchandise from the same supplier or take further measures. Neufeld confirmed that the faulty items were withdrawn as soon as the errors became known. The episode highlights how everyday souvenirs can become carriers of misleading political narratives, even when the seller had no intention to promote them.
